Dubbed +Big, the movement aims to inspire Filipinos to do small acts of service and faith to Filipinos like Calungsod did.
“Pedro Calungsod...didn't do anything big, he just did small acts of kindness. Hindi siya 'yung tipong, gumawa ng malaking order but he just remained as himself as a catechist, as a faithful friend to his companions,” said Sky Ortigas, one of the prime movers.
According to an article posted recently on the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines news site, the movement has a Facebook fan page: facebook.com/plusbigmovement.
Ortigas, James Arela, and Clarke Nebrao, former missionaries to Africa, thought of forming the +Big movement in February to renew a sense of calling among ordinary professionals.
“We are here to encourage [people] to just live the life that God calls them to...Be excellent in their own field, as a doctor as a teacher, as an engineer...With these small things, they can make a big impact on society," Ortigas said.
Ortigas also said +Big “will be a Catholic resource for speakers and training.”
Calungsod was one of the young catechists who went with some Spanish Jesuit missionaries from the Philippines to the Ladrones Islands in the western North Pacific Ocean in 1668 to evangelize the Chamorros.
On April 2, 1672, Calungsod was martyred with Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitores when they were attacked after a baptismal rite.
Missions balls
Meanwhile, for the Year of the Missions, +Big is organizing "Missions Balls" both in Cebu and Manila, to raise funds for Catholic missionaries.
The movement will also partner with YouthPinoy! for the 1st Catholic Social Media Summit on July 14 and 15.
*+Big'
Arela said they chose the name “+Big” for their movement because Calungsod "was no one, he was nothing, (but) if you have Christ in you, you can do great things.”
"We realized, Pedro Calungsod is telling us something...we need to respond. Even though you are young, powerless, you can do something like Pedro Calungsod,” Arela added. - VVP, GMA News
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